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KLM’s Third Head Office in The Hague

As a child, I saw it from the window of my mother’s car, every Sunday, driving to my grandma’s house: a big building just across the road from Madurodam, the miniature city in The Hague. I saw it, but knew very little about it. I later discovered that this was KLM’s third head office, partly completed just before the Second World War and extensively extended soon after the war ended.

As KLM flourished, it was just a matter of time before the offices on the Hofweg would become too small. It was time to move, but KLM founder Albert Plesman wanted to keep the head office in The Hague, close to the political fire in the heart of the country. The Municipality of The Hague helped find suitable land on the edge of the St Hubertus dunes, alongside one of the city’s arteries, the Raamweg.

Big enough for 1.800 people

Architect Dirk Roosenburg, who also designed KLM’s first logo, was commissioned to design the new office building. Roosenburg had a head start on his competitors as he had been to school with Plesman, who had also commissioned him to design the exhibition pavilion at the ELTA Air Show in Amsterdam North in 1919.

Apart from housing 1,800 employees, the new head office had to meet various other specifications, including a stylish wing for the board, a medical unit with an x-ray room, a fully equipped gym, a library, kitchens, a canteen, several shops (including a hairdressers), bike sheds and a parking area for cars. There were also two houses on the grounds; one for the technician who looked after the central heating and other installations, the other for the concierge.

The first part of the building, facing onto the Raamweg, was completed in 1940. This section included a rounded wing containing the multifunctional recreation hall, where KLM’s first computer was later installed. Construction came to a standstill when the Netherlands was occupied during the Second World War. Between 1940 and 1943, the offices were rented out to the Ministry of Social Affairs, which was in need of extra space.

President Roosevelt’s stone

The building was returned to KLM in 1945 and construction was resumed in 1946. The complex as it is today was opened in 1949. On 24 May of that year, Prince Bernhard laid the last stone, which was rather special as it had been brought in from New York, formerly known as New Amsterdam. The stone had been brought there from the Netherlands in the 17th century and had been donated to the Museum of the City of New York by President Roosevelt in 1933. This museum, in turn, gave the stone to Princess Juliana in 1946 to mark the opening of the Amsterdam-New York air service. The museum asked that she find a suitable location to display the stone, which eventually ended up in KLM’s head office.

Ministry of Infrastructure & the Environment

The main entrance was subsequently moved to the side of the building, on what was then known as the Badhuisweg but was later renamed Plesmanweg following the death of KLM’s founder.

The building had a steel superstructure that allowed large windows to be installed, ensuring plenty of natural light in the interior, which also has a lot of glass walls. The panelling along these walls was low to ensure maximum light, but I suspect it also gave the boss a better view of his staff.

KLM moved out of this building in the late 1960s and the board temporarily took office in Schiphol East, awaiting the completion of the new head office in Amstelveen. The KLM office in The Hague was subsequently occupied by various different tenants and currently houses the Ministry of Infrastructure & the Environment, aptly reflecting our changing times.

Stephen

Frido Ogier

4 years ago

Dear Stephen,

I don’t think so. This building is the Ministry of Infrastructure & the Environment nowadays so a public tour is not possible I suppose. Maybe if you visit The Hague and take a look at Madurodam, the miniature city, you can cross the street to see how this third headoffice looks like.

Frido Ogier

Leonora Carroll

4 years ago

Did you every write, photos, of the 1st DC-8 being delivered to KLM. It made a special flight for press, KLM Management and also some Douglas people.
I was on board also and there must be a picture of me and Henk de Jong placing a mint guilder on a table to show the stability of the plane in the air.
Regards, Nora

Leonora Carroll

Peter Walter

4 years ago

I can remember watching the first flight of the KLM DC8 with the press on board on Dutch TV.
The journalist placed a cigarette on the fold down table at his seat to show how steady the aircraft flew. :-) Unlike the old prop jobs like the Super Connie :-)
During the early sixties I worked for KLM as a vacation employee in the Hague (Passage) and was briefly sent to work in the old head office. I remember the typing pool with lots of girls using manual typewriters.
I was born at No 8 Sonderdanck straat in the Hague less than 2 kms from the head office.
I have many fond memories of visiting Madurodam too.
thanks for the always interesting blogs.
mvg
Peter Walter

Frido Ogier

4 years ago

Thank you Peter, you’re more than welcome. And thanks for your memories of the good old days. That KLM office doesn’t exist anymore, but stil it is in another way. There is now an office of KLM Health Services, the Travel Clinic. I think I’ll have to visit Madurodam soon. I haven’t been there since ages and something must have change since then :-)

Robert de Vries

3 years ago

I was just looking at the photos of the old KLM head office. I was interested because I worked there for approximately 3 years before my return to Australia in 1965. I am actually coming back to Nederland for a nostalgia holiday in May 2016, to revisit all my old haunts after 50 years.

Frido Ogier

3 years ago

Dear Robert, this building is still there! It’s the Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment, since 1969. You can take tram 9 from The Hague Central Station to Madurodam. :-) Some things may have changed, like Hotel Wittebrug, which was demolished. An appartment buidling was built instead. Anyway, lots of fun with your trip to memory lane.

robert de vries

2 years ago

Frido, I have just revisited your KLM blog. Well, it has been over 12 months since my visit to den Haag for 3 weeks. Loved it. Away for 590 years, but it didn’t feel strange. Saw the old KLM HQ and many other places filed in my memory bank. Stayed at the Haagse Toren. All inall, a terrific 3 weeks. Would love to do it again. No wonder I couldn’t find the Hotel Wittebrug.

robert de vries

Frido Ogier

2 years ago

dear Robert, how nice to hear from you again. Good to read that you enjoyed your stay in The Hague. And again there are new developments around the building near Madurodam. The Ministry has moved to another building and the former KLM headquarters have been sold. Withing a couple of years you can buy an apartment in it. Would you? :-)
Best regards, Frido

Robert de Vries

2 years ago

Hi Frido, Yes if I was 30 years younger and living in Holland I would probably consider and apartment in the old KLM HQ. What a nostalgia trip that would be. Interesting about the hotel Wittebrug. I still have memories of that, as we lived there for several months before our departure o Australia, also with KLM of course.
You may also be interested to know that my father worked for KLM before the war and also after, moving to Indonesia to help restart the KLM office in Jakarta. His brother also worked for KLM until his retirement some years ago, as did his daughter as an air hostess for some time. So our family have all worked for KLM at some time.